Dec 18, 2008

Do Not Fear Wallpaper



Your walls are the largest areas in your home to have decorative impact, so their treatment is important, even if it is subtle. Combining wall covering materials is effective, and a good way of adding character to a room.
Don't be afraid of wallpaper. Try getting a big effect for little money by limiting wallpaper to a small area, selecting a strong pattern, and emphasizing it. For example, paper one end of a room and its corner pillars with panels that come in square and round corners as in the photo above.

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Dec 17, 2008

Where To Buy A Unique Gift

Do you feel uncomfortable receiving gifts? Me too. I think it's because I only receive them on days when the gift giver feels pressured to buy a gift and therefore it's not really a gift but an obligation.
Why not boycott buying gifts on the 'traditional' gift giving days and buy someone a gift when you see something special you know they'll love - no matter what day it is. The inquisitive look on their face when they receive it is priceless.
Here are 6 ideas of where to find unique gifts:

1. Estate Sales
2. Antique Shops
3. Online Museum or Gallery Shops
You can also order prints from your local library's archives
5. From the artist directly

Dec 12, 2008

Patricia Urquiola and The Italian Papasan Chair

Taking the much loved Papasan chair into the 21st Century is Moroso's Patricia Urquiola. Described as, 'the designer who best expresses Moroso's vision', Urquiola was named designer of the year by now! design à vivre part of the Maison&Objet in Paris. The Bohemian collection for Moroso takes an original approach to tufted seating.
Bohemian's capitonné cushions come in goose down or polyester fiber and are completely removable.
Watch an interview with Urquiola where she talks about her exhibition of luxury porcelain for Rosenthal at the Design Museum in London.

Dec 10, 2008

Vancouver Beholdeth Black Mountain

I have a love hate relationship with the city of my birth. When something or someone I'm fond of, which wouldn't be Gortex, 'super groups' or over priced mediocre restaurants, gains momentum I'm proud to be a Vancouverite again.
It's taken Black Mountain awhile to break it on the East Coast, but only because they're living in West Coast time. Muzzle of Bees has ranked them amongst the top 12 concerts of 2008, above Sigur Ros and The Boss but just below Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, and Ryan Matteson classifies In The Future (which would sound even deeper on vinyl) as one of the records that without a doubt 'really monopolized my listening habits'.

Nominated for the 2008 Canadian Polaris Prize and CBC's Best Advice from an Artist and Best Hook, Black Mountain should hurry up and change their watches to Eastern Time Zone for 2009.

Watch the video from the 2008 Polaris Music Prize here or watch Wucan here.
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Dec 8, 2008

A Picture Worth a Thousand Words


Magdalena Gerber, Tellerstories, 2004-2008
copyright M. Gerber
I had an old photo of an elk I found in a thrift store put on a mug for work.  I was so inspired that I seriously thought about quitting my day job and buying a mug press.

Magdalena Gerber has taken the process further with her collection of porcelain tableware. Each piece asking, {Who are they?}, {Where are they going?}, {What are they doing?}, {Is it fact or fiction?}.

Dec 6, 2008

Don't Knock the Jazz Flute

Jethro Tull 1976 from Aqualung.
Spark it up.
video above or view it here

Dec 5, 2008

Janis Joplin's Custom Porsche



Janis Joplin and her '65 356c Porsche Cabriolet

I've been humming and hawing over buying a vintage Porsche or a vintage Mercedes. Bought in 1968 for $3500 by Janis Joplin, the Porsche 356 Super C. Painted by Dave Richards.

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Dec 4, 2008

Paul Evans - 20th Century Alchemist


Paul Evans
1931 - 1987
Paul Evans died before his time.  A trained silversmith, goldsmith and blacksmith Evans was also an alchemist. Taking the common and transforming it into the extraordinary.  Each piece of Evans' forged furniture was made by hand, finished by hand and signed.  Watch for it.

the finished piece

Dec 3, 2008

7 Excuses To Catch The Red Eye To London

Get out of here! Go grab a bargain basement last minute flight from British Airways and head to London for a quick fix of cool before settling in with the relatives for the holidays!
If you need an excuse here are seven:
December 6th 2008
vintage Biba is impossible to find in NA.
watch out for Cameron's crew - they'll be in vintage rock tees and bangles
cash, caffeine, no holds barred

2. YO! Sushi
the most expensive sushi robo I've ever had
worth a visit at lunch in the business district just to ride off the energy!

3. Bon Iver
congratulations to Joe M. - hope you enjoy the show!
View the visually stunning video for Wolves here.

4. Harmony Sex Shop
103 Oxford Street, Soho
njoy toys, the jessica rabbit

Mark Rothko exhibition
free collection displays on Levels 3 & 5 (Cubism, Futurism, Vorticism)

food, vintage, people watching - the best things in life
voted one of the top 100 stores you must visit in the world

7. Ten Bells
84 Commercial Street
when all is said and done
Magners, Aspalls and Scrumpy Jack on tap
Thanks Sarah!

Dec 2, 2008

Signature Series Street Art and Fashion

You don't become a mega brand by ignoring your target market. Hats off to Adidas and Ray Ban for joining forces with street super artists Sam Flores, Chris Mendoza, Herbert Baglione, David Choe and Aesop Rock.
Mendoza
Ray Ban Wayfarer Artist Series
Ray Ban is collaborating with Chris Medonza on an eighties graffiti style limited edition artist series - there are only 100. The series will be released online on December 3rd 2008
You can watch an interview with Mendoza here.
Adidas commissioned a limited edition series of sneaks designed by Flores, Baglione, Choe and Rock. One edition of four parts was released for four Thursdays from July 17, 2008. The folks at Adidas know their market better than their spouses.
You can view the 28 second campaign video for the Rock edition here or check ADIDAS' premiere campaign here.

Dec 1, 2008

Joshua Van Dyke - The Skateboard As Rite Of Passage

The rite of passage. Vancouver based artist, Joshua Van Dyke, explores this universal theory in his latest work of sculpture. Each work, created out of vintage skate decks he has collected from around the world, translates separation, liminality and re-incorporation into a visual masterpiece reminisce of Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
Van Dyke's work is raw, symbolic, and brilliant.








images Stacy Reynaud

Nov 27, 2008

Don't Eat Too Much


your turkeys won't be able to tow you.
Happy Thanksgiving

Nov 26, 2008

6 Gifts For the Geek Who Has Everything


1.  USB storage skull ring

2.  Electronic Bubble Wrap Key Chain
that's right, it makes the bubble wrap sound when you pop the bubbles
The 21st Century Lite Brite!
'sure to keep up appearances'

5.  The E-Cigarette - the electronic cigarette 
6.  LED Color Changing Light Bulb with Remote
put this one on my wish list

Nov 25, 2008

The Traffic Jam Recreated

How many times have you been stuck in traffic and asked yourself why the car ahead of you doesn't move up?  The Mathematical Society of Traffic Flow in Japan may have scientifically solved the true nature of the traffic jam. Researchers argue that vehicles clump together at a certain point on a track resulting in a shock-wave effect running backwards through the traffic. Watch the demonstration video embedded above or view it here.

Nov 24, 2008

The Obama Pet

If it were only as simple as cat or dog.  
The Roosevelt children had a pet.  A lovable one legged rooster.
One-legged Rooster - pet of the Roosevelt children
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